Promoter Eddie Hearn mentioned His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s want to make large fights within the sport.
(Credit score: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
Hearn states that the large 14,000 crowd that confirmed up final Saturday evening for IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis’ title protection towards David Avanesyan on the Wells Fargo Heart in Philadelphia confirmed how town desires to see sporting occasions involving Ennis.
Boots (32-0, 29 KOs) defeated Avanesyan (30-5-1, 18 KOs) by a fifth-round stoppage. The ringside physician selected to advise for the combat to be stopped after the fifth spherical had ended as a result of situation Avanesyan’s face was in, along with his left eye and cheek swollen.
Alalshikh’s Curiosity in Crawford vs. Ennis Combat
Hearn says His Excellency watched the Ennis-Avanesyan combat and would need to do a combat between Ennis, 27, and Terence Crawford. That’s a match that Hearn would like to occur now for Boots Ennis reasonably than ready till after Crawford fights Canelo Alvarez.
It’s comprehensible why Hearn desires Crawford to combat now for Ennis. The match would imply extra if Terence remains to be unbeaten.
If he strikes up two weight courses from 154 to 168, his probabilities of success towards Canelo could be slim. It’s too huge of a weight bounce for an older fighter like Crawford, particularly with him not getting acclimated to the division first. Furthermore, some imagine Crawford’s angle for wanting the Canelo combat is a retirement payday.
As soon as he will get that, he’ll have sufficient to hold up the gloves and wouldn’t need to threat the inevitable towards a younger lion like Boots Ennis, who’s considered as a greater model of himself.
“He desires to make the largest fights. He watched tonight and noticed one of many greatest crowds in America this yr. Over 14,000 have been in right here tonight. It was unimaginable,” stated Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, having watched the large dimension of the viewers for the Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis vs. David Avanesyan card final Saturday evening on the Wells Fargo Heart in Philadelphia.
Hearn doesn’t say whether or not he would need to stage a Crawford vs. Ennis combat in Philadelphia or elsewhere, like Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Crawford would possible balk at preventing Ennis in his hometown of Philadelphia. He would really feel he’s the A-side as a result of his superior accomplishments and the one profitable PPV occasion towards Errol Spence Jr. final yr in July 2023.
“He watched a pound-for-pound nice [Boots Ennis]. He loves nice fighters,” stated Hearn about Turki. “I feel he could be very fascinated about making the Crawford combat [with Ennis]. We’ve obtained plans at 147, however on the similar time, that’s an enormous combat, one of many greatest in boxing.
“Boots spoke to Turki and stated, ‘Ship me the contract.’ That’s a combat they need to make; if he [Crawford] will get previous Israil Madrimov, we’ll be open to discussing it,” stated Hearn.
Crawford’s Problem In opposition to Madrimov
Crawford should win his combat towards WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov on August third on the BMO Stadium in Philadelphia.
The 36-year-old goes up in weight, preventing in his fourth division after having been on a protracted victory lap, celebrating his win over Errol Spence Jr. final yr.
Can Crawford deal with preventing in his fourth weight class, coming off a protracted layoff, and nearing 40 years previous? He’s obtained so much going towards him profitable this combat towards Madrimov.
“Not nerves. He’s been out for a yr,” stated Hearn when requested if Boots Ennis appeared nervous in the course of the Avanesyan combat. “On the similar time, he was preventing a world-class fighter, and he type of performed with him. He was sitting on the ropes, messing round, taking pictures.”
Boots was staying shut, preventing Avanesyan’s combat, and making an attempt to entertain his followers. He clearly knew he couldn’t field Avanesyan and wind up being criticized by followers and probably booed.
No Issues About Avanesyan’s Resilience
“I knew Ava [Avanesyan] wouldn’t duck out like that as a result of he’s a top quality fighter,” stated Hearn when requested if he have been anxious there could be a no contest after hurting Avanesyan with a low blow in the course of the combat.
